Marouane Fellaini to delay wrist surgery and play in a brace

9 October 2013

MAROUANE FELLAINI WILL delay surgery on his injured wrist until “December or January”, according to the Belgium team doctor, Kris van Crombrugge. The Manchester United midfielder is expected to miss no more than two weeks after the operation.

Van Crombrugge said: “In accordance with the [Manchester United] club doctor, Marouane Fellaini will have surgery in December-January, unless he is ruled out from playing beforehand anyway due to a suspension. After surgery we believe he will only need one or a maximum of two weeks to recover. After that he can resume playing by using a brace. The surgery is not urgent, hence the delay.

“Last weekend he could not play for Manchester United because he had too much pain but because he is now taped he can play.”

Fellaini trained with Belgium on Tuesday with his damaged wrist in a cast before his prospective appearances in Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Croatia in Zagreb and Wales at home on 15 October.

An article on United’s website said: “Marouane Fellaini has trained with Belgium wearing a protective cast on his injured wrist. Although some reports suggest the midfielder faces an operation and a spell on the sidelines, the deadline-day arrival is due to play in a splint against Croatia and Wales in the World Cup qualifiers.”

The article also confirmed that Robin van Persie sat out Holland’s training session because of a problem with a little toe and could be a doubt for Friday’s home qualifier against Hungary.